In spring break 2006, I had the
chance to experience, with my mother and a friend, a catastrophic encounter
with nature. Our eyes could not believe what they were witnessing! All sorts of
iguanas’ body parts were spread throughout the road. The only things we could
think about in that precise moment were how to prevent an accident from happening
and how to evade running over them.
Earlier that same year, a new road
had opened in Puerto Rico. This new highway was built to simplify thousands of
people’s daily lives. It unified the urban town of Carolina with rural
Cannovanas and Rio Grande. By saving time in traffic lights, citizens were able
to travel in a new direct and easy way. Even though there might have been many
positive things to say about the road itself, location was not one of them. It
was built in a natural habitat, where thousands of iguanas lived.
By the time the highway was
complete, many habitats were destroyed, leaving iguanas without a place to nest.
In their search for a better environment, they started passing across the
highway once it was in use. Not only did the iguanas lose their homes, but also
started to lose their lives. The new road was a deadly threat to these innocent
animals.
The creation of the highway brought
numerous controversies in society. Many people believed it was a great
industrial advance, but others knew it affected the environment of these
creatures. Since it was said that iguanas were overpopulated, people saw this
new creation as a perfect way of controlling their spread in Puerto Rico. It is
sad to learn how humans’ greediness lead them to ignore the environment around
them and its necessities.
That day I had the chance of
understanding many things. Even though I did not support the location of the
highway and knew it was an immoral act towards the environment, I had decided
to ignore the cause, making me as guilty as those who built it in the first
place without considering nature. Fighting back for what one believes in is an
essential part of life. I acknowledge the fact that what I did, or did not do
in this case, contributed to the horrible deaths of these creatures.
My advice to all contractors in Puerto
Rico and around the world is to consider factors like a location, its importance,
and contribution to nature, before setting forth such projects. By doing so,
each person would own up to their primary rolls as human beings, putting aside
their needs as professionals, helping the environment and nature develop the
way they are supposed to.
Smithsonian: National
Zoological Park, Reptiles & Amphibians. http://nationalzoo.si.edu/Animals/ReptilesAmphibians/Facts/FactSheets/Greeniguana.cfm.
Retrived February 21, 2013.
